Article lifting device



July 9, 1957 Filed Feb. 25, 1951 J. JA'CKSON ARTICLE LIFTING DEVICE- 2 Sheets-Shea t l INVENTOR JOHN JACKSON BY 2 j ZXTTORNEY y 1957 J. JACKSON 2,798,757

ARTICLE-EIFTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 23, L951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6

INVENTOR JOHN JACKSON BY 26, a 2 ZATTORNEY United States Patent ?Olhce 2,798,757 Patented July :9, 1 957 V A'RTICLE LIFTINGDEVICE John Jackson, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to American iMacliine &;Foundry Company, -:a corporation of New :Jersey ApplicationFbruarylZS, 1951,"Serial 'No."2'12,308

15 Claims. (Cl.--294:64)

' "This invention relates to'improvementsfin article handling and lifting apparatus. his more particularly designed for,grasping,.-lifting and .transferringgroups of small variable sized articles, such as eggs.

The-general object-of the invention is to provide resilient suction chucks, simple and economical of construction, which will automaticallypick up articles of varying .height.

Itis a'further object of this invention to attach these .chucks to atframe. By placing the frame over a,plurality of articles, such as .eggs, each chuck adapts itself to contact an egg whetherthe egg belarge orlsmalla Eggs are normally crated in wood or cardboard cases in'layersofthirty-six eggs each. 'These layers are horizontallyseparated by cardboard flats. Vertical cardboard cubicles,known as"fillers,' separate the. individual eggs ina layer.

Eachlayer of eggs is .normally uncrated byhand. There are several methodsfor doing this. -'In one, fillers canbe removed and the eggsxpicke'd up by'thand. 'This methodiis .slow. A second method is for one operator toremove anLentire flat of eggs withthe 'filler in, place. j-A second operator removes the eggs and fillertrom the ffiat-niswally by forking. This consists Qfpassing the itin'esof a specially designed fork beneath and between the'roWs of'eggsto supportthe eggs while .the 'filler is stripped ofi. This latter procedure, whilefaster, has several disadvantages. Occasionally a large egg sticks in the filler, is lifted with it to" then 'fall "and break. Moreover, the operation requires two rrnen, the 1 one to lift the *flatfromthecarton and the other to "ffork or otherwise "remove the eggs from the flat.

"It is commonly known in'the industry that "a certain skill ordeftness, not found in all workers, is required tolift mats from the crate and even the most ideft worker can fonly workabout aweek at a time because'the backs of his hands'rubriawagainst the sides of the crates.

With my-invention, the frame with the resilient :cups is placed-lover the eggs in thecrate. Asuction cup 'contactseach egg-so thatthe entire layer "may belifted. While'the *eggs 'are so held beneath the-frame the filler may bestripped fromthenr or left on for removal later.

The operator may then directly deposit them where desired. This procedure requires'only one'operator and .noparticulardeftness.

.A-ffurtheriobject of the invention is to provide'a' simple improvedzmounting:principle for the suctioncup. This tcompriseska bellows-shaped resilient member which 'I have -found; supplies :the desiredadjustability enabling the cups .to.contact eggs securely and without danger ofv breakage. I, StilLanotherzobject of the invention is to provide-a longitudinally. collapsible mounting memberxfor the suc- Ttion, gripper which, when the cup engagesrthearticler and vacuum. is applied, moves the cup and .thearticle along a"'distance. between 'themaximum length of the mounting member'and its minimum longitudinal. length when collapsed. lThe contraction of the bellows-shaped resilient pot'tiondrawsthe article securely and rigidly to the frame, so that subsequent movement of theirame will not cause individual-articles itoiswing against each other, which, in

the: caseof; eggs, may cause breakage.

The invention comprises the structure of the "bellows- :rshaped member and the lifting rack combinatioumade 5 possible .thereby, i as more particularly described inrthe following detailed embodiment of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

.Fig. Iris a perspectivewview with parts broken away to illustrate the arrangement ;and construction of the assembled. lifting rack;

:Fig. 2-is a sectionaliside elevation showing thevacuum or suction chamber and control valve;

.Fig. 3 is apartial side elevation of thelifting :rack whileen-gaging with eggs of difierent sizes;

Fig. 4sis a sidemelevation of a single"suction cupsillustrating the collapsing of the-cup and therconsequent liftiingwefiectiupon the egg when vacuum is applied;

Big. .5 is ;a'sideelevation of another embodiment illusit-rating the 'usetof multiple bellows and theconsequent 20 -greater lifting effect onrthe egg when vacuum is applied;

-and

rF-ig. 6 is ra partial sectional side .elevation of an egggrading turntable mechanism.

Referring :to Fig. .l,=,the rack 2 consists-of a-.top and bottom plate *4- and- 6 respectively mounted to the top: and bottom siderof=a suitable frame orygasket S so as toiform an air-tight chamber. .The bottom plate 6has aplurality of holes 7. arranged as desired. At .eachoftheseholesris secured achuekr10 composed of a flexible materialand consisting .of'a cup portion 12 for contactingthe :egg, 2. constricted "neck 14, 114 to giveuniversal seating action .to the cup, the resilient bellows-shaped portion 16, 116 [and amounting flange 18. The chuck 10 may be formed as a unitary casting of rubber or other resilient composition. Chuck-s 10 are mounted on plate 6 was to form an air-tight seal by means of a threaded knurlednut -19 and-a threaded screw 20, asillustrated in Fig. 3. An an- .nular. groove is provided in theunder-surface of the-head .2ltof the screw 20 to obtain a perfect seal at this point.

The cavity of the .cup and bellows is continuous and communicates with the rack chamber 22 by means of small ducts. 24 through the screw. 20.

The handle '26 .is secured to the upper plate-4 in a suitable manner. Vacuum is applied to the chamberZZ by means of a tube .28 leading fromsa suitable vacuum pump ,(notshown) and the duct running throughone post of the handle 26. In the other post there is conveniently mounted a normally .closed spring controlled valve 32. As illustrated inFig. 2, button 34secured to the valve stem protrudes above thehandletwhere it may 'bedepressed by the operators thumb to open the .valve. When the valve is opened thechamber 22 is bled by communication with the atmosphere via the valve and-port Since eggs -are..normally crated inlayers of.thirty=six eggs arranged in six rows of six, I have accordingly .positioned the chucks on-my rack to correspond to such a thirty-six egg layer.

In operation, the rack 2 is placed on topof the layer ofeggs so that each .chuck. 10 contacts an egg. Contact with each egg is obtained by yielding. of the bellows .14.

.As illustrated at the left in Fig. 3 the bellows, 14 yield to the egg A to permit the. adjacent chuck. 10 to contact the smaller egg B. When the cups are allseated onthe 6 respective eggs and the vacuum is applied the bellows will collapse as illustrated in Fig. 4 and in dottedlines in Fig. 5, thereby lifting the eggs.

Another embodiment of my invention is illustrated in Fig. 5 showing the multiple bellows v116. Occasion-ally crates may contain eggs that range all 'the way from jumbo to peewee size. A. greater variation in article sizemay be provided for by the multiple-bellows. -As may be seen, 'thcse'bellows are capable of greater auto matic adjustability to the varying height of the articles. Also, where more lifting distance is required, the bellows, as shown in the dotted line position, will lift a greater relative distance. o V

The bores 24 are very small so that when several cups are not in suctional contact with an egg or article, there will still be operative suction in the other cups. Thus, if a layer has less than the full thirty-six eggs the apparatus will still lift the lesser number present. I have found a bore size of .040 inch very satisfactor for the particular rack herein shown.

The eggs are released whenthe operator opens the bleeder valve 32 illustrated here as a normally closed valve that may be opened by pressure of the thumb. Valve 32 is sufficiently large so that when it is opened the Vacuum is destroyed and the eggs released.

It is to be understood that in my appended'claims I intend by the use of the words bellows or bellowsshaped to include either variation, that is, a bellows having one or more convolutions.

My chuck may also be used on the Weighing levers of grading machines, particularly the endless carrier or rotary type, having a series of lever balances on one end 'of which the egg is supported and from which it is deposited into one of a series of bins or conveyors depending upon the degree to which the weight of the egg depresses the lever balance as shown in the co-pending patent to Powell 2,606,658. When so used, the positive collapsing and contracting action of the bellows, when vacuum is applied, has the salutary effect of limiting the displacement of the weighing beam when the egg is picked up and so decreasing its settling time. The weighing beam as it approaches the egg at the pick-up position may be cammed down to a position higher than median. -If a heavy egg is picked up the contraction of the bellows pulls down the weighing beam to its approximate resting position, whereas with a light egg, the egg is lifted to the beam. Then, as the beam rides oh the cam, it need move through a comparatively small arc to reach equilibrium.

Referring to Fig. 6, weighing or balancing beam 40 is shown pivoted at 42 on post 44 of a rotary turntable 46 of the type such as is shown in the reference to Butterfield 2,139,574, dated December 6, 1948. The balance arm 40 carries at its free end 41 suction tube 50 secured by the strap 52. A chuck 110 having bellows 116 and a cup portion 112 is secured to the dependent end of suction tube 50. The turntable 46 is secured to rotating shaft 47. The egg D supported on means 54 is brought in contact with cup 112 of chuck 110 and the end 41 of balance arm 45) is guided down by a cam (not shown). As the cup 112 seats itself on the egg, suction is applied through the tube 54) collapsing the bellows 116. If the egg D be extremely heavy, balancing arm 40 is pulled downward toward the egg while the egg is still supported on the means 54, whereas if the egg is light, as shown in Fig. 6, it is lifted toward the balance arm and out of means 54. This effects a pre-setting of arm 40 to its approximate resting position. Accordingly, the settling time of arm 40 is reduced substantially to zero.

It may be readily appreciated that my chuck is adaptable for use with article handling machines or apparatus other than egg handling. It may be used in any suctional pick-up device where yielding contact or lift is sought or found beneficial or desirable.

It may be further understood that the embodiment herewith shown and described is a preferred example of my invention and various changes relative to size, shape and arrangement may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A vacuum chuck for lifting small articles of varying heights comprising an operative article contacting vecuum disc and a compressible accordion bellows-shaped body portion operative in response to engagement with an article to collapse and move axially upwardly, the bellowsshaped body portion having a hollow interior in communication with the interior of the contact disc and means for connecting said hollow interior with a vacuum source so as to permit yielding contact with an article and whereby in response to said collapse of said body portion said article is lifted by said chuck.

2. In an article lifting apparatus, the combination of a portable supporting frame, a vacuum chamber in said frame, a vacuum source communicating with the chamber, a group of vacuum pick-up chucks secured to said frame and in communication with said chamber, each of said chucks comprising an article contacting suction cup and a resilient accordion bellows-shaped collapsible member constructed and arranged to collapse upon application of vacuum, said member being positioned between said frame and said cup to automatically adjust said cup to engage individual articles of varying height, and means for releasing the vacuum to disengage the articles from the cups.

3. In a vacuum chuck, suitable for use in an egg handling machine comprising an operative suction cup for contacting an egg, means suitable for securing the said chuckto a vacuum source, and an intermediate resilient accordion collapsible bellows operatively positioned between said cup and said securing means said bellows portion constructed and arranged to collapse when vacuum is applied to automatically lift the cup and the egg when suction is applied.

4. In an article lifting apparatus, the combination with a supporting frame of a vacuum chamber in said frame, a vacuum source communicating with the chamber, a group of vacuum pick-up chucks secured to said frame", said chucks comprising an article contacting suction cup and a resilient accordion bellows-shaped supporting member positioned between said frame and said cup to automatically adjust said cup to engage individual articles of varying height, a cavity in said member'communicating with said suction cup, a bore communicating with said cavity and said chamber, each of said bores having a cross-sectional area sufiiciently small to limit air flow therethrough to substantially below the displacement capacity of said vacuum source whereby the operation of other chucks is not impaired by the failure of at least one chuck to contact an article. v

5. An article lifting apparatus as claimed in claim 4 further characterized in that the said supportingmember is connected to the said cup .by a hollow narrow neck to permit universal fiexion between the member and the cup.

6. In an article lifting apparatus the combination with a supporting member, of a vacuum chamber in said member, a vacuum source communicating with the chamber, a group of suction grippers secured to said member, said grippers comprising an article contacting suction cup and a resilient vacuum contractible accordion-shaped bellows positioned between said member and said cup to automatically adjust said cup to engage an individual article of varying height, and means connecting said frame to said grippers providing an opening to communicate said grippers with said chamber.

7. In an egg handling apparatus the combination with a supporting frame, of a vacuum chamberin said frame, a vacuum source communicating with the chamber, a group of resilient vacuum pick-up chucks secured to said frame, said chucks comprising a suction disc and a vacuum collapsible accordion bellows supporting member positioned between said frame and said disc to automatically adjust said disc to engage an individual egg of varying height, a cavity in said member communicating with said suction disc at one end and with said chamber at the other end whereby the vacuum created in said chamber from said source is applied to said disc.

8. In combination, a vacuum conduit, a vacuum chuck comprising a contact discand a hollow substantially horizontally pleated collapsible member constructed and arranged to collapse upon the application of vacuum, the chamber of said hollow member communicating with said cup at one end and said conduit at the other end so that when said cup contacts an article said hollow member may collapse to adjust the cup to the height of the article.

9. A vacuum chuck for lifting small articles of vary ing height, a continuous chamber throughout said chuck, said chuck comprising an operative contact vacuum disc and a longitudinally yielding body portion constructed and arranged to collapse upon the application of vacuum, said body portion having a multiple substantially horizontally pleated bellows-shaped configuration, means for communicating said interior chamber with vacuum source whereby when vacuum is applied the bellows-shaped body portion will collapse to shorten its length whereby articles suctionally engaged by said chuck are lifted.

10. In an article lifting device the combination with a movable supporting frame, a vacuum chamber in said frame, a source of vacuum communicating with the chamber, a group of vacuum pick-up chucks secured to said frame, and in communication with said chamber, each of said chucks comprising an article contacting suction cup and a longitudinally accordion pleated yielding body member interposed between said frame and said cup to automatically adjust said cup and engage an article of varying height, said body member having a vacuum chamber formed within and constructed and arranged so that said body members contracts longitudinally when vacuum is applied to said chamber and means for releasing the vacuum to disengage the articles from the cups.

11. In a device for lifting a plurality of articles, the combination with a supporting member, a plurality of suction grippers attached to said frame positioned in a predetermined geometric configuration corresponding to the predetermined position of articles to be lifted, a source of vacuum and means to apply said source of vacuum to said suction grippers, said grippers having an operative suction cup and a resilient accordion bellows-like portion constructed and arranged to collapse upon application of vacuum, said portion being positioned between said cup and said supporting member to permit said cup to have yielding contact with an article whereby when said cup engages an article and said vacuum is applied, said bellows-like portion will collapse to lift said article.

12. In an article weighing apparatus having a weighing arm on one end of which an article is supported, a vacuum chuck on the article supporting end of said arm whereby the article is supported, said chuck comprising an article contacting vacuum disc and a compressible resilient accordion bellows body portion, the bellowsshaped body portion having a hollow interior in communication with the interior of the contact disc, and means for connecting said hollow interior with a vacuum source to permit yielding contact with an article and to lift said article toward said weighing arm and to pull said weighing arm toward said article when vacuum is applied thereby to limit the displacement of the arm to decrease the settling time thereof.

13. In an article weighing apparatus having a weighing arm on one end of which an article is supported, a vacuum chuck on the article supporting end of said arm whereby the article is supported, said chuck comprising an article contacting vacuum disc and a compressible accordion resilient bellows-shaped body portion, the bellows-shaped body portion having a hollow interior in communication with the interior of the contact disc, and means for connecting said hollow interior with a vacuum source to permit yielding contact with an article and upon contact to lift said article toward said weighing arm and to pull said Weighing arm toward said article thereby to limit the displacement of the arm to decrease the settling time thereof.

14. In a vacuum chuck suitable for use in an egg handling machine comprising an operative suction chuck for contacting an egg, means suitable for securing said chuck to a vacuum source, an intermediate resilient section secured to said chuck and said means and having two annular members connected peripherally with the inner faces of said members in spaced opposed relationship whereby when said suction chuck engages an egg and suction is applied thereto said opposed faces will move together substantially simultaneously with the gripping of an egg to lift said egg from a support surface.

15. In a vacuum chuck suitable for use in an egg handling machine comprising an operative: suction chuck for contacting an egg, means suitable for securing said chuck to a vacuum source, an intermediate resilient section having two annular members connected peripherally with the inner faces of said members in spaced opposed relationship, said members forming a chamber and said chamber being in communication with said suction chuck and said means whereby when said suction chuck engages an egg and suction is created therein said opposed faces are moved together substantially simultaneously with the gripping of an egg to lift said egg from a support surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 389,485 Russell Sept. 11, 1888 750,667 Lewellyn et a1. Jan. 26, 1904 1,060,948 Schuster May 6, 1913 1,549,159 Suhm Aug. 11, 1925 1,987,336 Powell Jan. 8, 1935 2,204,738 Swan June 18, 1940 2,658,789 Tellier Nov. 10, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 7,692 Great Britain Apr. 7, 1908 

